Caster-support.



nmessza. I l l Patented'Aug. 2s', |900.-

G. n. CLARK. cAsTI-:n SUPPORT.

(Applimon med may 22. 1900.)

(No Model.)

INVENTOR @059e Zar/a.

f T ORNEY s PETERS no. Puo'oumo.. wAsHmcrou. pA o NITED STATns PATENTOFFICE.-

GEORGE D. CLARK, OFPLAIVILLE, CONNECTICUT.

CASTER-SUPPORT.

. SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 656,628, dated August28, 1900.

Application tiled May 22, 1900.

To all whom t may concern.:

Be it known that I, GEORGE D. CLARK, a citizen of the United States,residing at Plainville, county of Hartford, State of Connecticut, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Caster-Supports, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to a caster-support; and-my object is to provide asupport for a caster which may be made out of a single strip of sheetmetal suitably bent into shape, so that it may be inserted in a hollowpart, such as a tubular leg of a piece of furniture, to hold the casterin position.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention shown in the drawings,Figure l represents a side elevation of one form of my invention; Fig.2, a side elevation of the support looking at it at right angles to theposition shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents aplan view of Fig. 1. Figs.4 and 5 are similar views of a modification. Fig. Gis a sectional viewtaken on the line X X of Fig. '4. Fig. 7 is a plan view of a blankbefore it is folded over on itself to form the support shown in Figs. 1,2, and 3; and Fig. 8 is a blank for forming the support shown in Figs.4, 5,and 6.

In a caster-support such as described itis desirable that the same beformed as light and at the same time as strong and cheaply as possibleand that it be suitably braced, so that it will hold the caster securelyin position. By my invention I form a support for the caster which maybe either a support for the caster-socket, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and3, or a socket for the caster-pintle by folding over a suitable strip ofresilient lsheet metal and suitably bending the same. By strip I do notmean that the metal from which the support is formed must necessarily belonger in one direction than the other.

In the above embodiment shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, A is the hollow legof a piece of furniture. The support, which in this case is a supportfor the caster-socket, is made from a blank such as shown in Fig. 7.This blank has two portions, represented, broadly, by B and C, which arefolded over upon each other along the line y y. The blank is slittedpart way along the line of this fold, as shown at D, and preferably thisslit does not extend to Serial No. 17,581. (No model.)

either edge of the blank. By slitted I do not mean that none of themetal can be removed. Each of these portions B and C is dished inthe'same direction, as shown at E and F-that is, they are both bentupwardly or downwardly in the same direction, so that when the twoportions B and C come together these dished portions will form a tube.These dished portions, each forming a partial (in this case a half)tube, lie on each side of and extend from said slit, and may run fromthe edge of the strip to the fold or slit, as shown. In case there is aslit or hole at the fold the tube will be open at the upper end, andthis is the preferable construction. One or more extensions G G fromthese dished portions are provided, so that when the portions E F arefolded over there will be wings g g' extending outwardly from thepartial tube and running from said fold downwardly along said dishedportion. In vthe form shown in Fig. 7 there are two of these extensions,one on each side of the dished portions, so that the wings g g', whichlie against each other, form Wings of a double thickness at each side ofthe tube, as shown also in Figs. l and 3. Other productionsH K may beprovided to form other wings, if desired. When the portions B C are bentover and abut against each other, the dished portions form a single tubeopen at either end. As shown in Fig. l, the wings formed by the portionsg g and H K when the support is pushed into the furnitureleg springoutwardly and hold the support rmly in place along its entire length, soas to securely hold the caster-socket.

In Figs. 4, 5, and 6 I have made the support form the caster-socketitself, which is provided with wings. The blank from which it is formedis shown in Fig. 8. This embodiment may have a tongue L for engagingunderneath the head of the pintle to prevent the withdrawal thereof.Preferably I attach a track-plate to this s upport for the pintle, asshown.

In the embodiment shown the caster-socket in Figs. l, 2, and 3 and thepintle of the caster in Figs. 4, 5, and 6 is closely held by the supportalong substantially the entire length of the tube. The support thereforeforms a secure holding means for the caster.

It will be obvious-that many changes may IOO be made in the constructionherein disclosed without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is- 1. A caster-support adapted to be inserted in a hollowleg, said support being shaped from a single strip of sheet metal foldedover upon itself, saidfolded-over portions being dished in the samedirection so that each forms a partial tube running transversely of thefold and a wing or wings projecting outwardly from each partial tube,said foldedover portions abutting against each other so that said dishedportions form a single tube for supporting part of a caster with wingsextending outwardly therefrom to engage the inside of the hollow leg.

2. A caster-support adapted to be inserted in a hollow leg, said supportbeing shaped from a single strip of sheet metal folded over upon itself,said folded-over portions being dished in the same direction from edgeto fold so that each forms a partial tube running transversely of thefold, and a Wing or win gs projecting outwardly from each partial tubeto engage the inside of a hollow leg.

3. A caster-support adapted to be inserted in a hollow leg, said supportbeing shaped from a single strip of sheet metal folded over upon itself,said folded-over portions being dished in the saine direction so thateach forms a half-tube running transversely of the fold and a wing orwings projecting outwardly from each half-tube, said folded-overportions abutting against each other so that said dished portions form asingle tube for supporting part of a caster with wings extendingoutwardly therefrom to engage the inside of a hollow leg.

4. A castersupport adapted to be inserted in a hollow leg, said supportbeing shaped from a single strip of sheet metal folded over upon itselfand slitted part way along said fold, said folded-over portions beingdished in the saine direction from the edges of the strip to the slit inthe fold so that each forms a half-tube having integral therewith awingprojecting outwardly from and running 1ongitudinally of each partialtube on the same side, said foldedover portions and wings abuttingagainst each other to forin a single tube open at each end forsupporting a part of a caster and having a wing ofl double thicknessextending outwardly therefrom to engage the inside of a hollow leg.

5. A caster-support consisting of a single strip of sheet metal foldedover upon itself, said strip being slitted part Way along said fold butnot to either edge of the strip, and said portions being dished in thesame direction transversely of said fold on each side of and frorn saidslot so that each forms a partial tube open at either end with a wingextending outwardly therefrom at each side running froln said folddownwardly along said dished portion.

Signed at Plainville, Connecticut, this 19th day of May, 1900.

GEORGE D. CLARK.

Vitnesses:

J. SANFORD CORBAN, THERA CLARK.

